1 Timothy 4:1-4

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Can someone help me under stand what St. Paul is saying here and what is the context of the letter. TIA.
 
This passage is a prediction of the Gnostic heresy, which began to plague the Church before the Apostle John was cold in his grave. The Gnostics believed in two dualistic gods: one good, who created the invisible spiritual world, and one evil, who created the material world to “trap” the spirits in matter. They perverted Jesus into a messenger of the good god, sent to teach them to reject matter. They forbade marriage because it produced children, which would create more matter and “trap” more of the spirit world, and they forbade the consumption of meats (some sects actually banned foods altogether, and their adherents could only eat once they were literally starving) because it was seen as adding more evil matter to one’s body. This is why St Paul emphasizes, in verse 4, that all Creation is good, not just the invisible Creation.
 
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 4:2 through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared, 4:3 who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving;

The Haydock has good commentary notes on this passage:
haydock1859.tripod.com/id230.html
 
=Blackshirtproud;11533493]Can someone help me under stand what St. Paul is saying here and what is the context of the letter. TIA.
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1st. Tim. 4: 1-5 “Now the Spirit manifestly saith, that in the last times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error, and doctrines of devils, Speaking lies in hypocrisy, and having their conscience seared, Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the faithful, and by them that have known the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be rejected that is received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

FROM HAYDOCKS CATHOLIC COMMENTARY

[3] Forbidding to marry, to abstain from meats: He speaks of the Gnostics, the Marcionites, the Eneratites, the Manicheans, and other ancient heretics, who absolutely condemned marriage, and the use of all kind of meat; because they pretended that all flesh was from an evil principle. Whereas the church of God, so far from condemning marriage, holds it a holy sacrament; and forbids it to none but such as by vow have chosen the better part: and prohibits not the use of any meats whatsoever in proper times and seasons; though she does not judge all kind of diet proper for days of fasting and penance"

God Bless,
Patrick
 
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